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Beyond super strength, flight, and spandex, one of the common denominators that great superheroes have is being surrounded by people that wholeheartedly support them. While these characters may not necessarily have the power to leap over small buildings in a single bound, they are often the first in line to aid their heroic companions in unique, and personal ways. To help celebrate the little man (or woman) that may be stuck in the shadow of a superhero, we’ve highlighted 5 of the most complex supporting characters that deserve your attention.
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Pepper Potts
A personal secretary to Tony Stark needs to be confident, intelligent, and able to adapt to difficult situations at a moment’s notice. Luckily, Pepper Potts has these traits in spades. In addition to be Tony’s lifeline in his business, she is also his longtime love interest. Pepper has had such a nurturing impact on Tony that he gifted her a powersuit of her very own dubbed “Rescue.” What better name for one of the strongest supporting comic book characters?
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Jimmy Olsen
Personal friend, and coworker to Clark Kent (Superman) at the Daily Planet, Jimmy is a photojournalist that looks up to Clark personally, and professionally. Due to the nature of his profession, Jimmy is often getting into trouble on the frontlines of Metropolis’ toughest battles. While Superman has consistently flown in to save Jimmy from trouble, Jimmy continues to follow his professional dreams, advocating for Superman and Clark along the way.
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Jonah Jameson
Bluntly, Jonah Jameson is a hardass. Acting as the editor-in-chief of Marvel’s “Daily Bugle,” Jonah’s primary responsibility is to sell newspapers. Looking to reveal the identity of New York’s favorite webslinger, Jonah employed Peter Parker to capture photographs of the hero. Despite doing everything he can to ruin Spider-Man’s good name, Jonah has often shown a softer side throughout his conquest for discovering Spider-Man’s identity, making his character all the more interesting.
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Lois Lane
To round off our three supporting reporters is none other than Superman’s Lois Lane. One thing is for sure, Lois is tough. She isn’t afraid to push a story, and (despite being unable to deduce Superman’s true identity) has an unquenchable thirst for sniffing out the truth. Lois may not be able to directly influence a fight, but she uses her pen and paper to fight on her own terms.
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Alfred Pennyworth
Hiring a personal wait staff may not necessarily be something that everyone can personally relate to. For Batman, Alfred Pennyworth, his personal butler, has proven time after time again that he is well worth his paycheck. While Alfred might seem like an innocent older man on the surface, but there is actually much more to him than meets the eye. In DC Comic’s current universe, Alfred has been working for the Wayne family for years, ultimately raising Bruce Wayne as his own after Bruce’s parents met their demise. Originally an actor, Alfred is highly qualified in protecting Bruce’s secret, but also has been known to undertake advanced medical procedures to ensure that the Dark Knight stays in top shape. Recent comics have branched out Alfred’s skills even further, which now includes, computer programming, chemical and mechanical engineering, and nanotechnology. All that, and he makes one hell of a cup of tea.
